Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1887-02-14

The possibility d rscIcnglng human
lie hes undoubtedly, fto9 tie lnosl
snclsnt dine, aabs3sd s ikscIpsaiaG
and sxtensive 1eld alike 6os the vision
ery and Ne asspsss thinksrs. Planl
lor prolouging exIs1euce have svel
besn amoag the principal alluremsntl
hold forth 6y implrics and impostors;
and by thus imposlng upon tho eredu-
llty OF The public, many notorious
eharlatans have acquired rich harvesta
OF Ill gotten gold. Men Of science have
throughout al ages devoted their Ct.
tcntion 10 the subject - one deserving
Of the most profound investigation.
And their researches have been at-
tended with more or less benefits u
posterity. We lind that Bacon him
self attached 20 much Importance 70
the matter that he prosecuted inquiry
In that direction with the utmost a.
sidulty.
Even As far back - the Egyptian.
Greek and Roman periods We fnd the
Idea Of prolonging life prevalent. The
Egyptians bestoW considerable atten-
ti0n 10 the attainment q longevity,
and they believed that life could
be prolonged through the efficacy
Of sudorfncs and efnetics con-
tinually used. Instead OF saying
How do you DOR a. an ordi.
nary saiutetion, they inquire Of each
Other, "How do you perspirei" In
those early days II was general Gus
tom to take ct least two emetics during
each month. Hippocrates and hla
disciples recommend moderation In
diet, friction and well-timed exercise,
which was certainly step in the right
direction.
II was during the darkness of the
middle ages, ripe with fanaticism and
superstition, that the most absurd ideas
Of witchcraft. horoscopes, chiromancy
and empirical panaceas for the pro.
longation of life first became dissent
mated. The philosophers stone and
elixir Of lite were then confidently
Wanted by the alchemists.
Foremost among the prolongers Of
life we find Paracelsus, an slchcmlst
of great renown and man Of consid.
cradle attalnments. He claimed to
have discovered the elixir Of life. So
great was his influence that even the
learned Erasmus did not disdsin "a
consult him. Patients and pupils
focked around him from every quar-
ter Of Europe. Notwithstanding his
famous 'stone Of immortality" he
died ct the age Of fifty. His vaunted
elixir was kind Of sulphur similar K
compound sulphuric ether. Never
theless, to the researches of Psracel-
sus we are indebted for our primary
knowledge OF mercury, which he wal
the first 10 make useful o. q medicine.
Numerous charlatans have appeared
and still appear at intervals. loud il
their asseverations of having discovered
the veritable elixir Of life-gold, tine
lures and many other nostrums with
which they mendaciously promise Il
prolong life. The most notorious o
these empires was the Count de st
German, who with barefaced effron
| terry protested that he had already ex
listed for centuries by aid Of his "Tea
Of Long Life" which he declared
would rejuvinate mankind. On clos
examination, his miraculous philte
was asccrtained 10 consist Of simple
infusion OF sandal wood. fennel and
SIENNA leaves.
4 great stir was created in 1775 b,
the occult pretentions of q fanatica
physician in France named Mesmer
He Wanted the possession of extra
ordinary magnetic power which ena
bled him forthwith, by It's agency. L
remove every disease and prolong life
At the kings desire, commission wa
instituted TO report upon this phenom
enon, In which DIR. Franklin took q
leading part. The only practical re
suit of this inquiry was the discovery
of animal electricity. At one time
Mesmer refused three hundred and
forty thousand livres for his secret
Alter DR.. Franklin's investigations
Mesmer lapsed Into obscurity.
Last but not least in the foremos
rank ofimpostors was Joseph Balsame
alias Count de Cagliostro. This char
latan appeared just before the frs
French revolution. During his re-
i AA"i nooAC SnsCCis Oukuostto ulooC mutt
than one fortune, which he subse
quently lost, and died In prison In 1895
The distinguished Cardinal de Rohan
was one Of his chief dupes. Like St
German, Balsamo boosted that he had
discovered the elixir Of life, and al
through Europe found persons OF al
degrees eager TO possess his panacea.
The elixir was very powerful stom.
achic, possessed of great stimula-
ting properties, tending 10 augment
vital sensations. II is a fixed law O
nature that everything which in
creases the vital forces tends to abridgt
their duration. Concentrated and pc
tent stimulants, which are usually the
active principle of most elixirs, al
though for the time increasing physi
cal strength, are in truth very preju
dicAl to longevity.
rs oil very we'll 10 talk about build
In new railroads and new stsanp b in